University City Granted Extension to Re-Locate Staff from Condemned Police Building

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UNIVERSITY CITY, MO (KTVI) - They were planning to move out next month. But now, University City police officers are learning they will be working in a condemned building for a little longer.

A St. Louis County Judge granted a request to extend the deadline to relocate the nearly 100 workers from the troubled police annex.

“The City of University City shall by August 26, 2016, pending infrastructure build out issues … relocate all employees,” the amended order states.

The original deadline was mid-July.

University City has been ordered to meet a set of requirements at the 30, 60, and 90-day marks.

The judge concluded that University City had made enough progress to warrant an extension.

In May, University City finalized a lease for modular units until a new permanent facility is constructed. The units will be located at 601 Trinity Avenue, behind the existing police building.

In its request to extend the deadline, University City argued that additional time is needed “due to the fact that the modular units must be constructed specifically to hosue the City’s Police Department and to fit the site.”

The union representing many University City officers said the delay forces staff to work in a dangerous environment. In February, the building was condemned for a variety of environmental and safety hazards, including mold, mildew, and asbestos.

Legal Counsel for the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 15 Danielle Thompson said the city of University City has shown no sense of urgency to re-locate staff.

“This should be the number one priority,” she said. “This is an emergency situation. There are people’s lives at risk. And they aren’t putting the resources, time, and money, into making this move happen as much as they should be.”